Day 01 · Travel · 1,200 m
Fly to Bhadrapur, drive to Ilam
Fly to the Terai and drive up into the tea gardens of Ilam.
- O₂ 87% of sea level
- Day 1 of 18
Kanchenjunga Conservation Area · 26.91° N · 87.93° E
Kanchenjunga Base Camps
Nepal's great eastern odyssey - a long, quiet journey to both base camps of the world's third highest mountain, through Limbu villages, cardamom fields and high yak pasture that sees a handful of trekkers a year.
remoterestricted18 days5,143 mStrenuous
Begin the ascentDay 02 · Travel · 1,650 m
Drive to Taplejung and Sekathum
A rough, spectacular mountain road carries you deep into Kanchenjunga country.
- +450 m gained today
- O₂ 82% of sea level
- Day 2 of 18
Day 03 · Trek · 2,308 m
Sekathum to Amjilosa
Enter the Ghunsa Khola gorge - a dramatic day of waterfalls, cliffs and suspension bridges.
- +658 m gained today
- O₂ 76% of sea level
- Day 3 of 18
Day 04 · Trek · 2,730 m
Amjilosa to Gyabla
Climb out of the gorge into dense bamboo and rhododendron forest.
- +422 m gained today
- O₂ 72% of sea level
- Day 4 of 18
Day 05 · Trek · 3,595 m
Gyabla to Ghunsa
Arrive in the great Tibetan-style village of Ghunsa, gateway to the upper valley.
- +865 m gained today
- O₂ 64% of sea level
- Day 5 of 18
Day 06 · Acclimatization · 3,595 m
Acclimatization in Ghunsa
Rest, explore the village monastery, and hike the ridge above town.
- O₂ 64% of sea level
- Day 6 of 18
Day 07 · Trek · 4,050 m
Ghunsa to Khambachen
Walk the flood-scoured valley beneath the massive north face of Jannu.
- +455 m gained today
- O₂ 60% of sea level
- Day 7 of 18
Day 08 · Acclimatization · 4,050 m
Acclimatization in Khambachen
Climb toward the Jannu viewpoint (4,400m) - one of the finest mountain vistas in Nepal.
- O₂ 60% of sea level
- Day 8 of 18
Day 09 · Trek · 4,780 m
Khambachen to Lhonak
Cross the wide, empty Lhonak plain, grazing ground of blue sheep and snow leopards.
- +730 m gained today
- O₂ 55% of sea level
- Day 9 of 18
Day 10 · Trek · 5,143 m
Pangpema - North Base Camp
Reach Pangpema (5,143m) and stand before the towering north face of Kanchenjunga, then return to Lhonak.
- +363 m gained today
- O₂ 52% of sea level
- Day 10 of 18
Day 11 · Trek · 3,595 m
Lhonak to Ghunsa
Descend the whole upper valley back to the comforts of Ghunsa.
- O₂ 64% of sea level
- Day 11 of 18
Day 12 · Trek · 4,240 m
Ghunsa to Sele Le camp
Climb steeply out of the valley to the high camp before the pass crossings.
- +645 m gained today
- O₂ 59% of sea level
- Day 12 of 18
Day 13 · High point · 3,870 m
Cross the Sele La passes to Tseram
A huge day over prayer-flagged cols (up to 4,480m) with Kanchenjunga, Jannu and Makalu on the horizon.
- O₂ 62% of sea level
- Day 13 of 18
Day 14 · High point · 3,870 m
Oktang - South Base Camp
Walk up the Yalung glacier to Oktang (4,740m) beneath the sheer south face, then return to Tseram.
- O₂ 62% of sea level
- Day 14 of 18
Day 15 · Trek · 2,995 m
Tseram to Tortong
Descend through rhododendron forest into the Simbua Khola valley.
- O₂ 69% of sea level
- Day 15 of 18
Day 16 · Trek · 2,080 m
Tortong to Yamphudin
Over the Lasiya Bhanjyang and down to the first permanent village in days.
- O₂ 78% of sea level
- Day 16 of 18
Day 17 · Travel · 1,910 m
Drive from Yamphudin to illam
Gentle drive through Limbu farmland and cardamom groves.
- O₂ 79% of sea level
- Day 17 of 18
Day 18 · Travel · 91 m
Drive to Bhadrapur and fly to Kathmandu
The long road back to the lowlands - cold drinks and warm air. Afternoon flight to Kathmandu from bhadrapur airport.
- O₂ 99% of sea level
- Day 18 of 18
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors · CC BY-SA
Elevation
How the days climb.
Hover the profile to see each day - conservative ascent, acclimatization built in.
The ledger
The climb, in numbers.
Everything about this route, derived from the itinerary - from the metres you gain to the oxygen you'll be breathing at the top.
18Days on the trail
5,143 mHigh point
4,588 mTotal climb
StrenuousDifficulty
2–10Group size
Mar–May · Oct–NovBest season
52%Oxygen at the top
Day 10High-point day
Thinner air, day by day.
Oxygen falls with altitude. You start at 99% of sea level and finish at 52% at the high point - which is why every ascent profile here is conservative, with rest days built in.
- Best trekked Mar–May
- Best trekked Oct–Nov
TrekAcclimatizationTravelHigh point
Scenes
What a Kanchenjunga Conservation Area day looks like.
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Kanchenjunga Base Camps, 18 days - shaped around you.
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